Centre urged to assess rain losses in Lahaul-Spiti

Residents of Lahaul and Spiti have expressed resentment over the Central Government’s failure to assess damage caused in flood-affected areas of the district by heavy rain. While a central team, including Union Ministers and officials, toured flood-hit Mandi and Kullu districts, it skipped Lahaul and Spiti where farmers have suffered huge losses.

Heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides have damaged the Manali-Leh Highway, the region’s lifeline, especially between Manali and Keylong. This disruption in connectivity led to a breakdown in transportation services for over a week, causing large quantities of high-value vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce and peas to rot in fields.

Farmers in the Miyar valley of Udaipur subdivision have reported big losses. In Bhujand village, the entire vegetable crop was destroyed. Similarly, Tingret and Chimret panchayats have suffered major losses, compounding the distress of local farmers.

Former chairman of the district council, Ramesh Rualba, criticised the Central Government for ignoring Lahaul and Spiti. “It is strange that the central team visited Mandi and Kullu but ignored Lahaul and Spiti. Is Lahaul and Spiti not part of India?” he questioned, demanding an immediate on-ground assessment of the losses.

District council member from Udaipur Mahinder Singh said, “The people of this region depend heavily on agriculture and road connectivity. With both destroyed, the situation is dire here.”

Local farmer Mohan Lal Relingpa said that he had sought an urgent damage assessment. He added, “We have lost our entire produce due to damaged road. Relief and compensation are critical to survive this crisis.”

Former MLA from Lahaul and Spiti Ravi Thakur has written to Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, urging him to raise the issue with the Central Government and press for immediate relief. He stressed the need for the Central Government's intervention to secure an adequate relief package for the district.

Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana said that such discrimination was unacceptable. She added that the central team should also visit flood-affected Lahaul and Spiti district to assess the ground situation so that they could report losses for the approval of the relief amount.